The Right-to-Know Network

Hosted by the Houston Chronicle

BRS (Biennial Reporting System)

The Biennial Reporting System (BRS) is one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s primary tools for tracking the generation, shipment and receipt of hazardous waste. It contains information from Hazardous Waste Reports that must be filed every two years under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which is the federal law that regulates the generation, treatment, storage, disposal or recycling of solid and hazardous waste.

NRC (National Response Center)

This database records spills and accidents reported to the National Response Center. It tracks chemical spills, accidents involving chemicals (such as fires or explosions), oil spills, transportation accidents that involve oil or chemicals, releases of radioactive materials, sightings of oil sheens on bodies of water, terrorist incidents involving chemicals, incidents where illegally dumped chemicals have been found and drills intended to prepare responders to handle these kinds of incidents. The National Response Center is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard and has become the central point of contact for reporting many different kinds of incidents involving hazardous materials.

RCRIS / RCRAINFO

This database includes information from companies that generate, transport, treat, store and dispose of hazardous waste, which are required to report certain activities to state-level regulators. These regulators pass on the information to the EPA. Data includes permit status, compliance and violation information, and cleanup activities. The information is mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended in 1984.

RMP (Risk Management Plans)

Federal law requires facilities that use large amounts of extremely hazardous substances to file Risk Management Plans with the EPA. This data is intended to save lives, protect property and prevent pollution. You can identify facilities in your area by using the RMP search tool.

TRI (Toxic Release Inventory)

This inventory is a database of information about releases and transfers of toxic chemicals from facilities in certain industrial sectors, including manufacturing, waste handling, mining and electricity generation. Facilities also must report the total amount of toxic chemicals in waste they produce.